A Life for a Life
by Flames of the Sun
Summary: Slade has struck, implanting Starfire with deadly probes. Can a certain someone save her before it is too late? 1shot. RxS. Jeweled Eyes Universe


**_HI! it's F of TS. I have a one shot for all you wonderful rs shippers like myself. enjoy._**

**_disclaimer: I don't own the teen titans. boo._**

_A Life for a Life_

"Starfire, are you sure you're all right?" Robin asked as Starfire eased herself onto the couch. Starfire started to smile but it was turned into a wince as the circular burn on her stomach gave a painful throb.

"As you say on Earth, 'I will live.'" she said barely masking the pain in her voice. Robin looked at her critically.

"Well I'm getting some ice for that." he said before turning to go into the kitchen. When he left Starfire saw the rest of her friends enter the room. None of them had particularly bad injuries, just a few scratches and bruises. Smiling, Starfire turned to the tv and turned it on. Instantly she dropped the remote. With a gasp she uttered one word that worried them all.

"Slade!"

Within an instant the rest of the Titans were gathered in front of the tv. "Well if it isn't my favorite Teens. I trust that your night has been pleasant." Slade said lazily. Beastboy scowled.

"Yeah. Just another night of kicking your sorry butt." he said confidently. Robin smiled in spite of himself.

"You have something to tell us? Because if you don't then we have better things to do than listen to your riddles."

Slade smiled behind his mask. "Well I highly doubt that, my dear Robin. I think that you and your team will be clearing their schedule for a while." he said in an amused tone. Raven rolled her eyes.

"And why is that?"

"You might want to be there for the funeral."

The Titans froze at this chilling response. Slade looked at them satisfied. "Good, I have your attention." He turned himself slightly to fully face Robin. "Robin, I grow tired of your constant meddling in my plans. So either you become my apprentice—"

"Never!" Robin interrupted fiercely.

"—or I kill you." Slade finished. Robin felt a pang of fear, but he maintained his tough exterior. He gave a mirthless laugh.

"And how do you intend to do that? I think it's proven itself a pretty hard task." he asked. Slade narrowed his eyes.

"Yes well I believe that this time it will work. You see, while you were 'kicking butt' you were also implanted with microscopic probes. The probes have, by now, traveled through your bloodstream to your brain. There they are programed to attach themselves to the pain receptors of your brain and stimulate agonizing pain. The pain will get progressively get worse over the corse of two hours, but by an hour and a half the probes should have caused enough stress to kill a human." He paused. "A long and torturous way to die," he said smugly.

With a flourish Slade raised a small remote into view. "But don't just take my word for it." he said, resting his thumb on a button. "See for yourself." he chided, pressing fiercely on the button.

Robin's face dissolved in horror. He could hear his friends shouts as he knelt on the floor, but it didn't matter to him. Everything was going wrong. He had never felt this kind of pain or fear like the pain he felt...

...when Starfire screamed.

Starfire clutched at her head, trying desperately to stifle the screams of agony rising in her throat. "Starfire! Starfire!" Robin exclaimed as he knelt next to her shuddering form. He searched his mind frantically, trying to find a logical explanation for Starfire's pain. He was supposed to be feeling this, not her.

_flashback_

"_Robin behind you!" _

_Robin felt a push on his back as he fell forward. Before he could look back he heard a grunt and saw Starfire land a few feet in front of him with a large burn on her stomach._

_end flashback_

'_Of corse' _he thought. _'She pushed me out of the way. They hit her by accident.' _Robin's eyes widened and he looked up at Slade. He had a surprised expression in his eyes.

"Hmm my robots must have missed and hit the alien girl. Pity."

"Is that all you have to say!" Robin demanded. "Pity?" Slade shrugged.

"Well if you had been destroyed then the team would have at once deteriorated. But I suppose the thought that the shot was aimed for you will do just fine." Robin gaped at his knowledge of their behavior. Starfire gave a low moan, shifting Robin's attention back to her.

"I expect, because of her Tamaranian anatomy, that she should be able to withstand the probes maybe 20 minutes longer than a human. Goodbye Titans." and with that Slade's image was replaced by a clock. The clock immediately started to count down from one hour and fifty minutes. There was also a green light with Starfire's heart rate on it.

Robin took Starfire by her shoulders. "Starfire? Starfire can you hear us? Say something!"

Starfire gasped as the throbbing pain got worse. "Getting... worse." she said jerkily. Cyborg knelt beside them.

"I may be able to disable the probes, but last time it took a full two hours." he said worriedly. Robin met his eyes.

"Then we're gonna have to hurry." he stated urgently. Cyborg rushed down the hall to gather his equipment. Gently, Robin scooped Starfire into his arms and laid her on the couch. Cyborg was back soon and stuck a small needle into her temple. A panel on his arm opened up and he started to type on it feverishly.

Robin took Starfire's hand in both of his. He noticed with some worry that sweat was starting to bead her forehead. Her eyes were shut tight and quiet whimpers could be heard escaping her lips. Robin squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Cy's workin' on it, Star. We won't let anything happen to you. We'll get through this." he whispered. Starfire cried out as the timer on the screen hit an hour, forty minutes.

"You're gonna pull through." he whispered again, this time more to himself.

Two minutes. Starfire's life hung in the balance over two minutes. Two minutes that would save her life, or two minutes that would rip it from her young body. Two minutes to bring relief and happiness or to plant a seed of grief and self-hatred. Two minutes to leave her one mark on the world, to make one last difference, or to disappear without a trace, with others wondering what could have been.

Two minutes.

Starfire trembled uncontrollably. She just couldn't stop shaking not matter how hard she tried. Her awareness was limited and her vision slipped in and out.

She wished desperately for the throbbing pain she had initially felt, as a sledge-hammer was slammed repeatedly into her head in time with her heartbeat. Her tears leaked out of her tightly shut eyes and streamed down her face, while she concentrated on keeping the screams from escaping her throat.

Dimmly, she could feel Raven's cool, slim hand on her own, feeding her endurance, though this would not last long. She could feel Robin's hand the most. She could hear his words clearly, _"You'll be ok. Don't give up. Just hang on a little longer."_

So she did. She clutched her life, never once daring to think of the possibilities. But she did now and she wouldn't leave without finishing what she had long ago started.

"Robin," she forced past her dry, achy throat. She felt the pressure on her hand tighten a fraction.

"Star..." he couldn't say anything more. He could feel his heart breaking ever so slowly.

"Robin, I don't want to go," she whimpered. She carefully pulled his hand so that is was pressed over her heart. Robin's eyes widened when he felt her heartbeat. It was slow. Sluggish. As if it would stop at any moment.

"Cyborg! How much longer!" he snapped desperately. Cyborg was still typing feverishly. His eyes flicked to the pale girl next to him.

"I just need two minutes."

Two minutes.

"I have to tell you Robin. It wouldn't be right if I..." Starfire's words were barely more than small whispers. Her moans were starting to become more frequent. The shouts of agony that were fighting to escape were becoming even harder to suppress. She could feel her mind become fuzzy as the clock reached ten seconds. Her thoughts were turning. The sledge hammer demanding her attention.

"Starfire? Starfire, say something! Focus on my voice, ok? Don't give up! Don't leave!" Robin cried desperately. He could feel her hand twitch with each bout of pain. His other hand, still pressed to her chest, could feel her pulse growing slower. He could see her struggle to draw breath.

"I can't function without you Starfire! I can't! I won't! You can't go like this, it's too soon!" How often had he heard that in movies? How often had he thought, 'Good grief. That is so cheesy.' Why didn't he think that now?

The clock hit five seconds. Starfire moved into a state beyond pain. Beyond pleasure. Beyond regret, beyond rejoice. Beyond death.

Beyond life.

Robin pressed his hand harder to Starfire's chest. Where was her pulse? He had felt it just one second ago and now he felt nothing. Frantically he looked into Starfire's face, surprised to find it relaxed and without pain. For a wonderful second, he thought that Cyborg had done it. That she was safe. But Cyborg was still typing, although the heart monitor on the screen had flat-lined seconds ago.

"Robin, I do love you. Always and forever," Starfire mumbled. This was her last goodbye. As she drifted into a dream state, vaguely uncomfortable from her lack of oxygen, she could hear someone shouting, something wet on he face, and then something warm.

Starfire gasped as the warmth spread throughout her body, radiating from her slightly parted lips. Sweat formed on the palms of her hands and a shiver ran down her spine. She felt her heart flutter nervously, and then beat.

With another gasp, followed by large gulps of air, Starfire's eyes sprang apart, tearing slightly from the slowly receding pain.

Her eyes slowly lifted to meet a masked pair, wide with astonishment. That was all she saw before she blacked out.

The first thing Starfire noticed upon waking up was something cool and wet dabbing her forehead. She shifted slightly and opened her eyes slowly. Luckily, the lights were already dimmed slightly so her eyes didn't sting.

She was in the main room, still lying on the couch. She turned her attention to Robin, who had been the one dabbing her forehead. He was sitting, or kneeling rather, next to the couch at her side. Starfire smiled at the sight of him, still feeling tired from the day's events.

Robin smiled softly back at her. "You're awake," he stated quietly. He helped her sit up and sat beside her.

"How long have I been asleep?" Starfire asked.

"Only a few hours. Raven says you have a bit of a fever, but nothing you can't pull through," he said affectionately. Starfire nodded, too tired to notice his exceptionally warm tone.

"What- what happened?" she asked slowly. Robin looked at her solemnly.

"You died." Starfire looked up in alarm. Surely this was an exageration, she was sitting with him now, very much alive. Or maybe she was dead and she was in some sort of heaven. Were there fevers in heaven?

"Your heart stopped just as Cyborg disabled the probes. We would have used the heart stimulators, but Cy said that would re activate the probes." Robin's voice cracked for an instant, before he regained his composure. He was reliving the terror all over again. The was her hand suddenly became so pale and cold. The way he couldn't fell her hear beat anymore. The way she stopped breathing. He was silent for a few more moments.

"So, I am truly dead?" Starfire asked sadly. Robin turned to look at her quickly. He smiled. His smile turned to chuckles, which turned to bouts of great laughter. Starfire stared at his body, shaking with laughter and felt her face turn a dark shade of red. But her embarrassment quickly turned to anger. Who was he to mock her? Quickly, she shoved herself up from the couch, intent on storming to her room. Unfortunately, the mind numbing dizziness had other thoughts.

Starfire stumbled from the sudden movement. Robin noticed this and quickly stood, grabbing her around the waist.

"Whoa, I got you. Just lean on me for a minute," he said soothingly. After a moment, they sat back down on the couch, Starfire's head still on his shoulder. "Sorry about the laughing. I wasn't laughing at you."

Starfire snorted. "Really! It's just that I was just so afraid that you were dead," he said softly, kissing her cheek. Starfire, who was in the process of thinking up something to say back, froze. Did he just kiss her cheek? She looked up at him in shock. He just smiled back.

"You had told me you loved me, and I was just so desperate, so I just kissed you." Starfire stared. Robin was getting so much closer now. His voice was reduced to nothing but a light whisper as he rested his forehead against her's. Starfire closed her eyes, his breath dancing across her skin.

"And you came back to me." And then he kissed her. There was an explosion of light behind Starfire's closed eyes. She pushed herself closer to him, for the first time, reveling in his warmth, the softness of his lips, the feel of his hair. She moaned as he kneaded the back of her neck with his fingers.

When they finally separated Starfire couldn't stop grinning. She was slightly surprised to find herself lying on top of Robin, only vaguely remembering him pulling her backwards. She sighed looking fondly up at him. He returned to look also grinning like an idiot.

A strange thought suddenly occurred to Starfire. "You saved my life," she said quietly. Robin returned her gaze evenly.

"And you gave me mine."

Starfire grinned and pressed her lips to his in a short kiss. She then slid back down, pressing her ear to his chest.

His heartbeat was strong. Even. Comforting. With a sigh she drifted off to sleep.

The two lovers both slipped into a peaceful slumber, their dreams littered with the images of each other. Starfire's life salvaged from an untimely end, and Robin's given to him by the one person who held it so delacately.

An eye for an eye; tooth for tooth.

Life for life.


End file.
